Baseball: Lucas Giolito voices confidence in his future

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In his first comments since sustaining a season-ending elbow injury on Tuesday, Harvard-Westlake pitcher Lucas Giolito said Friday he’s grateful for the many messages of support he has received.

‘The day it happened, my phone blew up with all kinds of messages from friends, family and people I don’t know,’ he said. ‘To see everyone care was really cool.’

Giolito seemed upbeat and confident speaking in the Harvard-Westlake dugout before his team’s Mission League game against Alemany. He said he stayed home from school on Wednesday and kept to himself. But he was back in school on Thursday and at practice, ready to begin rehabilitation and do what he can to help his teammates.

‘I’m prepared to kill myself to get back in good shape,’ he said.

He’s expected to be sidelined six to 10 weeks because of a sprained ulnar collateral ligament. He admits it was ‘a bad shock’ to learn about the injury. He had thrown two fastballs at 100 mph last week and was considered a candidate to be a top three selection in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft in June. He left Tuesday’s game with one out in the seventh inning.

‘Now it’s time I’m thinking positively,’ he said. ‘This isn’t something that’s going to hold the team back. Just like I had to accept it, they’ve accepted it.’

He said his future hasn’t changed. He continues to have the option of attending UCLA in the fall or signing professionally.

‘My opinion on UCLA isn’t changed,’ he said. ‘It was a perfect fit when I chose UCLA two years ago and still is. Whatever the future takes me to, I’m in good hands.’

Giolito said he intends to be on the bench and serving as his team’s ‘biggest cheerleader.’

-- Eric Sondheimer